When and Where: August 31, 2023 – Hooksett, N.H. (Mark A. Ouellette Stadium)
Score: Southern New Hampshire University 2, Mercy University 0
Records: SNHU 1-0, Mercy 0-1
Junior
Isnaba Namussé (Fogo, Cape Verde) scored just over six minutes into the contest, as the Southern New Hampshire University men's soccer team opened the season with a 2-0 victory against Mercy University on Thursday at Ouellette Stadium.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
KEY MOMENTS
- SNHU struck just 6:06 in when Escobedo sent a corner kick into the far side of the box, where Namussé collected it and booted the ball off a defender and into the back of the net.
- The Penmen dominated play into the second half, but still held just a one-goal lead until the middle of the 84th minute. The changed when Namussé delivered a free kick near midfield that was headed into the box by Gonzalez. Ulstein ran onto the ball, hitting a beautiful right-footed volley into the goal to make it 2-0.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Mercy goalkeeper Eirik Elvestad stopped three shots.
- SNHU doubled up Mercy in shots, 16-8, including 10-1 in the opening half.
- Corner kicks were even at four a piece.
NOTES
- The Penmen win their season opener for the eighth time in the last nine campaigns. It is the sixth shutout in that eight-win span, including the third straight.
- Huber notches the shutout in his Penmen debut, following in the footsteps of junior Preston Neal (Windham, N.H.), who recorded a clean sheet in his first career start last season. Neal made four saves in a 2-0 win at Adelphi University on Sept. 10.
- SNHU betters its all-time record versus Mercy to 7-2-0 and has won seven of the last eight meetings. The Penmen are now 5-1-0 at home against the Mavericks and have won five straight there in the series.
- SNHU improves to 123-31-20 (.764) over its last 174 matches dating back to the beginning of the 2013 National Championship season.
- The Penmen are now 87-13-12 (.830) over their last 112 contests at home, including 25-6-5 (.764) at Ouellette Stadium.
WHAT'S NEXT
- The Penmen are back at it Sunday (Sept. 3) at 1 p.m. when they play host to Jefferson University in another non-conference match at Ouellette Stadium.
